Favorite Progress Capture Pulleys

I'm looking to get a Petzl Micro Traxion or ClimbingTechnology RollNLock. I want to use it for ascending, and hauling, for both crevasse rescue as well as general climbing aid and rescue. I have two questions that I can't seem to be able to find the answer to:

1: Does the RollNLock work on icy ropes? The ridges, as opposed to the nice teeth on the Micro Traxion, don't inspire me.

2: Is the RollNLock releasable under load? I know the Micro Traxion is not. Also, do you guys find this to be a problem, or can you just be careful to not haul too far?

Any other suggestions or thoughts would be appreciated too!

I use a microtraxion in conjunction with a petzl basic as a top rope solo system, while the inability to release both of those under load is a little bit of a bummer you can use a prusik to unweight the line and switch in to an atc or whatever. however I am not sure about the microtraxion as far as gear hualing, great device tho

I really love my mini traxion and the micro traxion is supposed to be better at pretty much everything the mini traxion was great at. If ascending with a foot jug and a waist jug, I like the mini-trax better than an actual ascender for the waist jug.

A lot more versatility than a regular ascender, less weight, and good functionality.

Micro Traxion is awesome. I use it for top rope solo, hauling small loads (though I have hauled somewhat heavy loads with it, just not as smooth as Pro Traxion), and other odds and ends. It's super light and really durable.

What is the heaviest you have hauled on the microtraxion? I am considering doing some vertical packing for elk hunters and was going to use that with an ascender and stirups to haul. any opinions or tips? I have no experience hauling, just going off of freedom of the hills

AZfarrier wrote:What is the heaviest you have hauled on the microtraxion? I am considering doing some vertical packing for elk hunters and was going to use that with an ascender and stirups to haul. any opinions or tips? I have no experience hauling, just going off of freedom of the hills

Maybe 50-60 lbs. Not super light, but certainly not big wall heavy either. It can handle a lot more, but its just not as smooth as the Pro for heavy hauling, and will probably wear out faster.

thanks for the info on that, I probably would have over worked the crap out of mine. I prefer it as a back up to my basic for TR solo and would hate to roast through it hauling. You said you TR solo, what are your opinions on single dynamic rope solo with a grigri? I tried on a fairly low highball boulder just to see and it definitely arrests a fall, even on a few feet of slack.

http://youtu.be/At3m_DDP2fA

Not my video, but it may be helpful..

AZfarrier wrote:thanks for the info on that, I probably would have over worked the crap out of mine. I prefer it as a back up to my basic for TR solo and would hate to roast through it hauling. You said you TR solo, what are your opinions on single dynamic rope solo with a grigri? I tried on a fairly low highball boulder just to see and it definitely arrests a fall, even on a few feet of slack.

I don't think it's a good idea to use a single rope, unless you anchor it in the middle and use the two halves. I will usually go with one of these options:

1) Grigri on one rope, Micro Traxion on the other rope
2) Grigri or Micro Traxion on one rope, back up knots pre-tied on the other rope.

I've seen enough slack pull through a Grigri in a low friction situation that using that alone makes me worried and the teeth are pretty sharp on the Micro Traxion so, although the likelyhood is low, I don't want to be in a situation where the Micro shreds through the sheath. Always have a backup.

I use the micro to rope solo on a single line and have a lot of confidence in it. I know many people who do on solid 80M lines often. It's a great piece of eqiupment and great for crevasse rescue stuff. Never hauled anything on a wall though.

I know folks who don't back it up when rope soloing. They've filed off its ability to lock-although this feature is so on point that it releases easily so I'm never worried I'll have it stuck open.

I back it up with knots below me in the rope every 20' or so when I'm rope soloing.

I also use a little thicker 10.2 rope for rope soloing, one I don't use for leading or anything else really, so a little sheath damage wouldn't bother me, though I have yet to experience that.

Using a gri gri to rope solo is silly IMO. It sucks for this purpose, and yes I've done it with the old and new grigri many times before I got a micro. I'd never consider going back and wish I would have gotten one long ago

Yeah I always run two lines but I keep all of my ascension gear on one line and keep the other as an escape line (i heard that having a microtraxion or ascender on a second line on a sling isn't that safe of a backup because if your main ascender went you would shock load your backup, i just have my basic on top and the microtraxion underneath as backup) and also to make switching from basic/traxion to ATC easier. I had just bought a grigri and had seen soloing with one done before so I had to try it, tho I agree i wouldn't want to use it on more than a highball that i was too scared to fall on a crash pad from.

AZfarrier wrote:Yeah I always run two lines but I keep all of my ascension gear on one line and keep the other as an escape line (i heard that having a microtraxion or ascender on a second line on a sling isn't that safe of a backup because if your main ascender went you would shock load your backup, i just have my basic on top and the microtraxion underneath as backup) and also to make switching from basic/traxion to ATC easier. I had just bought a grigri and had seen soloing with one done before so I had to try it, tho I agree i wouldn't want to use it on more than a highball that i was too scared to fall on a crash pad from.

I do like 2 ropes, but I keep the Micro on top (chest high) and the Grigri below (belay loop) so that the Micro slides up the rope and I can pull slack through the Grigri when I get to a rest or a good hold. When you get to the top you just pull the rope tight on the Grigri, flip the lever on the Micro to disengage the teeth and rappel back down on the Grigri. It's a nice smooth transition.

I have a soloist as primary and a rocker rope grabber (similar to a petzl shunt) for backup. The soloist is fast and easy to engage and disengage but it has a failure mode (doesn't work upside down). The rocker rope grabber has never failed to grab, but takes a bit longer to engage and is hard to release under load. Both dont' need to be manually fed.
I'd be interested in switch the rocker rope grab for a petzl shunt. The shunt is lighter, but I'm not sure how much drag it will have.

Ryan Hamilton that's a great system man i might steal that idea

Thanks for all this info on the TR soloing stuff! I'm stoked to try it when I get one of these.

But do you guys have any experience with either of the two points I asked about? Icy ropes on the RollNLock? Releasing the RollNLock under load?

It's not possible to release the Roll'n'Lock under load. It also feels more flimsy than the Petzl.